been doing some training climbing the same hill daily. i was off for 3 days for biz trip and went again today and DAMN.. was 3 mins behind my previous record. and drinking muscle milk to build up some muscles for lunch.

btw.. i tried to keep spinning uphill and no way i can hit 100 rpm. i was doing around 44 rpm and even then that's starting to give me heavy breathing. so the breathing technique everyone suggested, i tried and really exhale.. that really worked on my legs!!

Oh, 44 rpm? I would ride 10% at that cadence if I were training on a single speed bike or trying to punish myself in some such specific fashion. I figure if I drop below about 68 on a long grade when I'm really exhausted, I need to go buy myself some lower gears. I'm not counting the 18%-20% bits that one occasionally encounters, but the grades one usually rides. Go buy yourself some lower gears.

One might get the idea from some posters that lower gears are somehow unmanly or whatever. Reread the first page of this thread with gearing in mind. Get over that.

Oh, 44 rpm? I would ride 10% at that cadence if I were training on a single speed bike or trying to punish myself in some such specific fashion. I figure if I drop below about 68 on a long grade when I'm really exhausted, I need to go buy myself some lower gears. I'm not counting the 18%-20% bits that one occasionally encounters, but the grades one usually rides. Go buy yourself some lower gears.

One might get the idea from some posters that lower gears are somehow unmanly or whatever. Reread the first page of this thread with gearing in mind. Get over that.

i wouldn't mind getting lower gears. i'm on the 2012 RED RD and runnin 11/28 right now. not sure what other cassette i can use to add to it.

There is an Ultegra one. I use Ultegra cassettes for training. The extra cost and shorter lifetime of DA is not worth while for training rides.
Chances are your chain is long enough. The difference between 28 and 30t is only one link. But if it's not, no big deal, just get another one. Chains are a consumeable, like tires. I go through four or five a year.

I'd do it in an emergency but not for normal use. The master is the weakest link. Having two of them doubles the chance of one breaking on you. I have never had one break but I don't make much power. I carry a spare one anyhow.

When you put the larger cassette on, shift to the big ring with the chain on a small cog and start shifting to larger cogs. When you get to the last couple, check it out before each shift. Sometimes if the chain is too short the cage will rub on the next cog. If it's ok in the next to largest cog and the cage is not stretched tight, try the largest cog slowly and carefully. You want the chain to be at least barely long enough to make that combo work without damaging anything. You should not ride cross chained like that but you want the bike to allow it if you shift there by mistake.

Chances are it'll be long enough and you won't have to do anything. But you should have a spare chain and tools to install it anyhow. And check the chain with a chain checker periodically. If you are going to run high end stuff and/or ride a lot it's worth it to learn how to do basic maintenance. In the long run you will save time and money and you will know that your bike is set up right.

thanks eric.. i ride daily during my lunch hour.. try to squeeze in 10 miles with a small climb. then on weekends i can ride longer.. usually 25 miles with 800+ft of climbs.

before swapping over to 2013 Red i was running ultegra compact 50/34 w/ 11/34 + deore RD. while that setup was great, i didn't learn from it; meaning.. i find myself keep wanting to shift to bigger gears to spin all the time and became so dependent on it. so my leg muscles never got built up.

now with the RED 50/34 and 11/28, my thighs are bigger and have more strength.. but definitely not enough for mt. hamilton that's for sure. haha

oh.. and since i got addicted to weightweenie site.. that was another reason to swap over to the red too... lol... now my Addict R1 looks better and lighter. next stop.. drop my weight and belly down!